tPS 3537 
.n263 
C5 
1908 
Copy 1 



Gbilb 2)ialect 
IDerse — 



"B^ BDelaiDe iPugb Smitb 



Child Dialect Verse* 




By /Idclaide Pu£|b Smith. 



COPYRIGHTED, 1908. 
BY ADELAIDE PUGH SMITH. 



}UBa,^RY of CUNGSEG3 
\ wo eooies Heceivee 

JUL 6 1S08 

St;usfe/4 xxc. p;^ 
2L// iqs 

COPY 3. 



T5 3J^7 






To the many dear little 
children. Whose loVe or the 
memory of Whose loVe is 
sWeet to me. 



i proem. 



c 



HILDREN, gather 'round my knee,- 

Let your merry voices be 
The only magic needed to 
Call up mem'ries dear and true; 
Take the tribute offered you 
In these simple little rhymes 
Bright with light of bygone times, — 
When I, as each of you, a child 
Gathered blossoms, sweet and wild. 
By life's stains all undefiled. 



m 



Y Pa is a doctur, an' 

I heard some un say 
'At he is ist the goodest man 

'Cause he'd go night er day 
To wait on folks 'at 's poor an' sick, 

An' never takes no pay ! 

When I told him what they said 

He took me on his knee, 
An' tol' me 'at sech debts 'uz paid 

In coin 'at none could see, 
An' deep down in th' heart 'twus kep'- 

" Th' best kind of a fee ! " 



TOben ^omm^ l^oun^ (Bot %OBt 

ft^* t^*^ t^^ 



ui 



HEN Tommy Young got lost, — 

Wuzn't they a' awful fuss ! 
They ist hunted ever'whur 

Far an' near ! An' Tommy's ma 'uz 
Purt near goin' crazy, 'cause 

She wuz ist sure, she said, 
He'd gone down t' th' river 

An' failed in an' wuz dead ! 

An' all the woods around 

Ist wuz scoured — but nothin' found ! 

All the bells 'uz rung, an' when 
Most all th' town 'uz runnin' 'bout 
Tommy he come slippin' out 

Frum their own front parlur door : — 
He'd been beneath th' sofy 

A-sleepin' on th' floor ! 



$ 



Content 

«^ e^ e^ 

OMETIMES I wisht I wuz a boy 

So's I could learn t' swim ; 
An' ride a horse, an' dim' tall trees, 
An' do purt near it whut I please, 
An' be as brave as him ! 

But when it's got right good and dark 

An' time is come to curl 
In my Ma's arm an' have her hug 
Me close t' her so warm an' snug 

I'm glad nen I'm a girl ! 



u 



4^* e^*' e^* 

S folks has got a neighbor, an' 

She's awful funny, too ! 
'Cause ever' time 'at she runs in 

She alius tells us whur she's been 
Er whut she's got t' do ! 



When Ma she asts her t' set down 

She's purt near sure t' say, 
"Dear me ! I cain't ! My floors aim swep'; 
I do declare 'at I'm jes' kep' 

A-diggin' th' hull day ! " 

It's dig, dig, dig, mornin' till night, 

Tell I'm jes' played clean out ! 
I've got t' go an' make a cake, 
I've got t' churn, there's bread t' bake, 
I oughtn't be about!" 

An' nen she'll set an' talk, an' talk 

'Bout ever'one we know, 
An' tells th' same things over 'gain 
Some more till Ma she wonders when 

She really means t' go ! 



^ING a song of play-time, 

All join in : 
Merriment and May-time, 

Raise a rousing din ! 
Jollity and June fun 

In the summer weather; 
July's merry hours that run 

Laughing off together ! 
Apple trees thro' August days 

Bright with happy faces, 
That September's sparkling haze 

Finds in schoolroom places. 



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'mnclc 3Wq Best (3irL 

t^ •5*' «^ 

NCLE Jim's best girl is ist awful sweet ! 

Bet anything 'at she can't be beat ! 
Purtiest eyes an' purtiest curls, 
Purtiest one uv all his girls ! 



An' my goodness sakes! Uncle Jim's rooms 
Ist full uv girls' pictures, and two albums ! — 
Guess he likes Miss Rena the best 
'Cause she's lots the sweetest and purtiest ! 



(Boin* Barefoot 

«^ «^ t^ 

^ELL you whut, I like t' go 
^ Barefoot in th' summer, tho'. 

My Ma she never lets me none; — 

She don't care ef it is fun : 

Says I'm too big, — she likes t' see 

How much a lady I can be ! 

But wunst, when Ma had gone one day, 
An' I knowed 'at she 'ud stay 
Tell late, I slipped my shoes off, an' 
Stockin's, too, an' it wuz grand ! — 
Tell a bee stinged me, an' nen 
I couldn't get 'em on again ! 



inncle 3tm'0 Mair treatment, 

4^*' •5*' t^* 



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Y Uncle Jim's a' awful tease ! 

Bet you'd say so, too, ef he 'uz 
'Round you wunst, an' pulled your curls 
Like he says is good fer girls ! 



He alius says 'at why Ma's hair 
Is so long, is he took care 
Uv it so 's it had t' grow. 
Bet she didn't like it tho' ! 

An' Uncle Jim, he says 'at I 
Mus'n' never try t' cry 
When he pulls my curls, becuz 
Nen' they'll grow as nice as Ma's ! 



after Ibearino *'aiabbtn/^ 

e^* t^^ t^* 

^F I 'uz changed t' you, 
' An you 'uz changed to me, 
I tell you whut we'd haf t' do ! 

We'd haf t' wish 'ith might an' main 
Fer Aladdin's ol' tin lamp t' rub 
So's t' get changed back again ! 



m 



^^ (^* t^f 

UNST Mrs. Adams, my Ma's friend, 

She spent the day 'ith us; 
An' brung her little boy along 

'Cause he'd a-made a fuss 
Ef she'd left him home, she said ; 

So me an' Freddie went t' play 
While they both visited. 

He's awful funny, Freddie is — 
An' does things ist so quick ! 

Went fishin' in our big rain-bar'l 
On a box, 'ith a long stick 

Fer Wiggletails, an' he ist leant 
'Way over it, so's he could see 

An' splash ! Down in he went ! 

I grabbed his legs, an' called fer Ma, 

An' she ist yanked him out 
'Ith rivers streamin' off uv him 

'Fore he knowed whut she wuz 'bout ! 
But he'd ist spoilt th' water — 

Couldn't use it none, I guess, 
Since Freddie took a bath in it 

'Ithout stoppin' t' undress ! 



cu 



Cbtlbboob's ambitions. 

t^** t^* t^* 

HEN I grow big, I'm goin' t' be 
A school teacher, — you wait an* see 
Ef you don't believe it ! Nen 
All the little childern, they 
Won't haf to' do a thing but play ! 

Er, — maybe I'll clerk in a store 
Whur they keep choclut drops, an' whur 
They have ice cream all year 'round, 
An' ever'thing else 'at's good an' sweet, 
So's nen I'll get all I can eat ! 



Mben tbe (Talf Cbewe^ jfrebMe'e Sbtrt* 

9^^ 1^* t^^ 



iU 



HEN Freddie Adams got all wet 

That time in our rain-bar'l, they 
Hung his clothes out on th' line 
An' dressed him up in some o' mine, 
An ' sent him out t' play ! 

We had th' cutest little calf 

Then as could be ! He'd ist do 

The funniest things right straight along, — 

Didn't matter ef 'twuz wrong, 
Ef he ist wanted to ! 

An' he got out the lot that day ! 

Don't know how he managed to — 
But he wuz lookin' fer some fun : 
Them clothes hung there, an' up he run, 

An' ist begun to chew ! 

He pulled an' hauled at 'em tell he 

Got 'em all down in the dirt, 
Tramped over 'em an' dragged 'era 'round 
Then left th' rest there on th' ground 
While he chewed Freddie's shirt ! 

We found him, — but 'twuz too late. 

All that shirt wuz gone inside 
'Cept ist some rags ! An' when 
He had t' wear a dress home, nen 

That Freddie Adams cried ! 



D 



f^r^ e5^ tS^ 

ARLING child, who lured me to 

Gleeful plays and fancies new 
Still abiding with me, tho' 
Ne'er can I the blessing know 
Of thy earthly presence dear : — 
Art thou happier there than here? 
Canst thou feel the love from me 
Lavished on thy memory? 



Sltbin* 'Bovon the 'Bmmteve. 

e^*' c^* *^^ 

UNST when we wuz all alone, — 

Ma an' Auntie Jane both gone, — 
My Uncle Jim, he showed me how 

To slide down th' banusters ! 
An' we ist had th' mostest fun ! 
I 'ud slide an' Uncle 'd run 
T' ketch me 'fore I hit th' floor, 
Nen I'd go an' slide some more 

Down th' banusters ! 

Yes, an' Uncle, he slid too ! 
Don't you wisht 'at it wuz you ? 
How awful funny he did look, 

Slidin' down th' banusters : — 
'Cause his long legs they would strike 
More 'an anybody 'd like. 
'Nless he held way up high, — 
Nen you bet he'd more 'an fly 
Down th' banusters ! 

Yes, an' Uncle lifted me 

On his shoulder, an' nen he 

Ist clum th' stairs, an' way we went 

Slidin' down th' banusters ! 
But jes' before we hit th' floor 
Ma she opened up th' door, 
An' she ist thought 'at it was fun 
Tell I said I'd slid alone 

Down th' banusters ! 



Nen my Ma she scolded him, 
'Cause she said 'at Uncle Jim 
He oughm't show me how t' go 

Slidin' down th' banusters ; — 
Yes, an' nen she scolded me — 
Said she wanted me t' be 
1st ladylike, — no lady tried 
Ma she said t' ever slide 

Down th' banusters. 

Nen my Uncle Jim he said 
They'd look funny ef they did : 
But little girls ist looked alright 

Slidin' down th' banusters : 
An' he said 'at Ma's mem'ry 
Wuzn't long as it might be 
Er it 'ud reach back t' th' days 
When they had some jolly plays 

Down th' banusters ! 

Nen Ma grinned, but said 'at she 
Didn't want sech things teached me — 
We mustn't go no more, she said, — 

Slidin' down th' banusters. 
Nen Uncle Jim he said 'at she 
Needn't fear 'at she 'ud see 
Us slide no more — but when Ma's gone 
Nen you bet we have some fun 

Sailin' down th* banusters ! 



Cbrt0tmas 2)efinet)« 

^f ^^ ^* 

CHRISTMAS : Day of dear delights, 
Filling childish dreams for nights ! 
Candies, presents, joys and toys, 
Happy girlies, merry boys ! 
Jollity supreme, and life 
Glowing with the brightness rife ! 



m 



1^^ <5^ B^^ 

ONDER who us two 'ud be 

Ef you wuzn't you, and I wuzn't me ? 
An' whut 'ud all our folksus do 
Ef I wuzn't me, an' you wuzn't you ? 



^^^ ^f ^3* 

LAS' winter, when 'twuz purt' near spring 
They come a big snow. Ever' thing 
Wuz froze up solid, 'twuz so cold. 
My Pa he hired a sleigh that day 
An' took us fer a ride, 'way 
Out o' town 1 Ma sat in th' seat 
'Ith Pa, and I wuz at their feet 
On a little footstool, so 
Jus' my head stuck out. An' oh ! 
'Twuz cold, but I was wrapped up so 
'At Ma she laughed an' called me her 
Little Eskimo in fur ! 
Nen Pa laughed, an' said 'at she 
Looked like one as much as me ! 
Jus' then a man drove by, Pa knew, 
An' says " W'y, hello Doc ! That you ? 
Wondered who it could be so 
Bloomin' like a' Eskimo ! " 



3 



^5* e^^ ^^ 

UST a gleam of sunshine thro' your day, 

Just a constant source of wonderment and joy,- 
Just a bit of Heaven, sent your way, — 
That's your baby, — be it girl or be it boy. 



flDarian'0 Xament. 

^^ ft5^ c^^ 

I 1ST want a baby brother 

' Worse'n anything ! 1st ever' other 

Little girl in town's got one 

But me, purt' near, an' I ain't got none. 

An' them little girls declares 
'At my own Pa brung um theirs ! 

That seemed kind o' funny, when 

He knowed I want one worse'n them ;- 

An' I told him so, an' he 

Said they wuzn't none for me, — 
'At God He sent 'um down addressed 

1st like letters, where 'twuz best. 

Wonder whut I ever done 
'At God He can't spare me ist one? 







a IRoneense Jingle. 

e^w (3* «5^ 

THE Frizzle-de-froos 
9 From the land of hoodoos, 
Went sailing away in a fleet of old shoes 

Out into the bay 

Where the sea-urchins play 
And 'neath purple billows the devil-fish stray ; 

O, their deep crimson eyes 

Which would sink back, then rise, 
Filled all the dried herring with mighty surprise ! 

Whenever a glance 

Shot past them by chance 
They each had a fit of St. Vitus' dance. 

And a frolicsome oyster 

Far famed as a royster 
Gasped with fright until the salt moisture 

Caused him to strangle, and his windpipe to mangle, 
He feared that they wanted his pearls for a bangle ! 

All the burfishes fleet 

Made a landscape most sweet, 
By swelling all up at the explorer's feet. 

A most awful commotion 

Pervaded the ocean 
And the inmates were seized with religious devotion 

When the Frizzle-de-froos 

Made their debuts 
In their elegant crafts, on their venturous cruise : 

But an undaunted whale 

Whom nothing could quail 
Made a charge at them, his tail for a sail, 

And he ushered them in 

Where Jonah had been, 
Though they clamored and howled and raised a wild din ! 
He would take no excuse 

Nor give heed to their prayers to ' just let us loose ! " 
So endeth the tale of the Frizzle-de-froos 
Who sailed out to sea in a fleet of old shoes ! 



(5brl0tma0* 

^^^ c5* c^^ 

'SPECT ol' Santy Claus is ist 

A hustlin' 'round today, 
An' packin' ever'thing ist tight 

An' good in his big sleigh — 
For tomorrow will be Chris'mus Eve 

An' you'd ist better bet 
'At us three childern's wonderin' 

What all we're goin to get. 

I'm here at Gra'ma's house, an' both 

My cousins is here too ; 
An' we wuz 'fraid 'at Santy Claus 

Might not know whut to do 
When he'd not find our stockin's home, 

An' maybe he 'ud go 
An' give our things to some un else 

Close 'round 'at we 'ud know ! 

I felt 'most sure 'at Alice Blake 

'Ud get my lovely doll. 
An' Tommy groaned and said he 'ud bet 

His gun 'd go to Paul, 
'At lives next door to him, and Maud 

She pretty near it cried 
For fear her chum 'ud get her wheel, 

An' she'd not learn to ride. 



I tol my Pa 'bout it ; I knowed 

'At he could help us out ! 
He said to write to Santy Claus 

An' tell him all about 
Who we all wuz, an' he'd ist bet 

Our things ud reach us straight, 
An' not to worry bout it none 

But ist be calm an' wait. 

We wrote a letter, an' my Pa 

He mailed it for us, an' 
He put th' 'dress all on it, too ; 

"or Santy Claus," it ran, 
" North Pole, in care of Boreas." 

Now whut you s'pose that meant ? 
Nen took it clear downtown hisself 

So's to be sure it went. 

An' so we know 'at we're alright, 

'Cause Santy'll know to come 
Out here t' Gra'ma's when he fin's 

'At none of us ain't home. 
An' nen I'll have my dolly sure, 

An' Tom he'll have his gun. 
An' Maud '11 have her wheel, an' nen 

We'll all of us have fun ! 



H-(5uttin' paper DoIl6» 

t^*' ^^ <^^ 

OMETIMES I get th' Fashion-books 

'At Ma is done with, an' 
The scissors, an' I go upstairs 
Out o' th' way 'most anywheres 

An' cut out paper dolls.! 

It litters things up purty bad 

But Ma don't ever care 
Ef I'm a-havin' fun ; an' you 
All know 'at that's not hard to do 

A-cuttin' paper dolls. 

I can cut dresses easy, but 

It's diff'runt 'ith a face, 
'Cause my ol' scissors slips an' goes 
An' takes th' end all ofiE a nose 

When I cut paper dolls. 

But that don't hurt th' dollie none, 

Ef it does spoil her looks, 
'Cause she don't know, and she can't care ; 
An' I purtend 'at it's all there 

When I play paper dolls ! 



m 



flnnocence, 

^3* ^M c^* 

AXEN eyelids folded over baby eyes, 

Little curls of gold that stray 

O'er the baby forehead in a 'wildering array ; 
On the baby lips a smile 

Like its guardian angel's kiss : 
Every peaceful breath revealing 

Heaven vsrithin it, more than this. 



D 



(3oo\)cve. 

t^^ C^* 9^^ 

O you like peanuts ? What you think ? 

My Ma says 'at when 
She wuz a little girl down South 

They called 'em goobers then ; 
An' down in their big garden where 

Ever'thing most grew 
They planted peanuts in the ground 

An' raised their goobers too ! 



R 



tS* e^* ft^* 

OCK-A-BYE, hush-a-bye, drift into rest 

Mother's sweet baby, your head on her breast ; 
Lend your pink ear to sea fairies' beguiling, 
Send your wee shallop among them a-smiling ! 

Rock-a-bye, hush-a-bye, glide all the night 
O'er mystic waters with rainbows alight : 
While, at your side, float the fairies along 
Tinting your dreams with their lullaby song. 



jUi 



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